Studies on fresh processing of Moringa oleifera leaves

Minimal processing adds to convenience of consumption and marketing of fruits and vegetables suitable for retail markets. In the present study, an attempt has been made to freshly process and pack Moringa oleifera leaves in different packaging materials and storage conditions as a convenience product. Freshly harvested Moringa leaves were stripped in a mechanical stripper to remove the leaflets from the branches, washed in chlorinated water, surface dried and packed in different packaging materials viz., LDPE (40 micron), LDPE (80 micron), Polypropylene (40 micron), Polypropylene (60 micron), at different levels of ventilation (0, 1% & 2%) and kept for storage under ambient (29±33°C, 50–70% RH) and refrigerated (5±2°C, 90–95% RH) conditions. The physiological changes based on Weight Loss, % wilting and the changes in the nutrient content (chlorophyll, vitamin C, vitamin A & Iron) were periodically analysed during storage. The study revealed that packaging treatment with Polypropylene 40 micron at 1% vent was found to be the best for freshly processed Moringa leaves under ambient conditions and LDPE 80 micron with 1% vent was found to be best for refrigerated storage. Quality analysis revealed that there was not much difference in the nutrient content of Moringa leaves except for ascorbic acid content during storage.